Monday, October 10, 2016

By NYN Daily

Editor’s Note: The winners of our 2016 Cause Awards have been announced! Click here to see the individuals, agencies, and philanthropists who this year have made a major impact on the most pressing human services issues of New York's nonprofit sector.

TOP NEWS

NYN Media Perspectives - “Green” your nonprofit: As the local food movement grows, so does the opportunity for all nonprofits to benefit from participation in that movement, writes Mike Hollis, the urban farms manager at Services for the UnderServed. An organization’s mission does not need an intrinsic connection to urban agriculture, nutrition or food justice for it to get involved.

The finalists for the 2016 New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Awards are: The New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Awards Program, in its 10th year, announced the nonprofit organizations in New York City and Westchester that have been chosen as finalists for 60,000 dollars in prizes and prestigious scholarships, according to the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.

CUNY seeks state investigation following City College of New York president’s departure: The City University of New York said it is seeking a “comprehensive investigation” by the state after the former president of its flagship school, City College of New York, allegedly misused funds to pay for personal expenses, according to the Wall Street Journal. According to a letter sent by CUNY board chairman William Thompson Jr. to New York’s inspector general, City College’s former president, Lisa Coico, improperly used money four years ago from 21st Century Foundation, a nonprofit tied to the college.

Ken Thompson, Brooklyn District Attorney, dies After disclosing cancer:The New York Times reports that Kenneth P. Thompson, the first black district attorney of Brooklyn and a voice for racial justice at a moment of tension between law enforcement and minority communities, died on Sunday from cancer, his family said.

NYCLU pushes against NYPD keeping police misconduct records secret:The New York Civil Liberties Union has filed papers that support the release of a set of 1 Police Plaza trial room decisions, the Daily News writes. The NYCLU sought the documents on grounds they would provide a window into how the nation’s largest police department deals with critical issues like excessive force and stop-and-frisk.

Clinton Foundation was late to file paperwork, but got pass from AG: The Clinton Foundation failed to properly file nonprofit paperwork required by New York state for years and did not disclose government grants on its filings as required by law, yet Attorney General Eric Schneiderman gave it a pass, the New York Post reports.

Bill de Blasio Pledges New York City Support to Haiti Amid Hurricane Matthew: In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew - which has claimed nearly 900 lives in Haiti since it struck the island nation - Mayor Bill de Blasio laid out a series of steps his administration has taken to support relief efforts, the Observer writes. The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a nonprofit organization that supports public programs through private partnerships, has identified relief organizations to which individuals can contribute online.

City Hall is oblivious and shows no interest in local input: The New York Post writes in an editorial that when it comes to siting homeless shelters, City Hall shows no interest in treating local officials as partners. Multiple Queens leaders say Team de Blasio not only fails to solicit local input, it’s oblivious to what it does hear from the community.

Brooklyn lawsuit could affect the fate of millions of immigrants nationwide: About 2,600 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients nationwide had their three-year work permits revoked because of the Texas ruling. but if a New Yorker’s lawsuit spares New Yorkers from the ruling, hundreds of thousands of people in the state could be eligible again not only for the expanded DACA privileges, but also for those that were available under DAPA, the New York Times writes.

The Wilson Foundation will have a colossal impact on Western New York:The late Ralph C. Wilson Jr. left hundreds of millions of dollars to Western New York. His enormous generosity will have a meaningful impact on the lives of many of the region’s most vulnerable citizens, the Buffalo News writes. The Buffalo Bills founder and longtime owner entrusted leaders of his foundation with disbursing 1.2 billion dollars to worthy causes in Southeast Michigan and Western New York over a 20-year period.

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ARTS AND CULTURE SPOTLIGHT

Tidal has another starry charity show planned in Brooklyn: Tidal is flexing for its second annual charity concert on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Barclays Center,according to the New York Times. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit education nonprofits. Returning from last year’s event, which raised 1.5 million dollars, are Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and T.I.; Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill are also to perform.

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HIGHER EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

A divisive president at City College, and a long list of personal expenses:The Times examines the troubled tenure of Lisa Coico, who last week abruptly resigned as president of the City College of New York, and who has been the subject of a long investigation into alleged her use of college funds to pay for personal expenses.

Legislators seek changes to SUNY contract procurement process:Several lawmakers are calling for broad reform of the State University system’s contract procurement process, following charges against SUNY Polytechnic Institute president Alain Kaloyeros for alleged bid rigging, according to Politico.

UB Foundation rejects call for faculty member on its board: The University at Buffalo Foundation will not add a faculty member to its board of trustees as a way to address concerns over how the private foundation handles hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of the public university, the Buffalo News writes.

The New York City Council has allocated 200,000 dollars under the End the Epidemic budget to fund Amida Care’s Consumer Workforce Initiative program. Amida Care, New York’s largest Medicaid special needs health plan for people with chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, is launching the new initiative to create living-wage jobs for graduates of peer workforce training programs. HIV peer workforce education trains people living with HIV to use their life experience for jobs in health navigation and outreach. The Consumer Workforce Initiative will create employment opportunities for people living with HIV, train them to reach others who are at risk of becoming infected, connect newly diagnosed people to care, and help more people become virally suppressed.

The New York Foundling announces joint partnership with The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children

The New York Foundling announced today a joint partnership with The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children aimed at helping both organizations achieve a greater impact in the field of child welfare and maltreatment across the United States. Along with the opening of The Foundling’s upcoming exhibit “A story of Hope, Healing and Resiliency: Understanding and Preventing Child Maltreatment” on September 29, this new union furthers The Foundling’s commitment to educating the public about the issue of child abuse and neglect. Founded in 1869, The Foundling has grown into one of the largest child welfare agencies in the country, providing a wide range of services to more than 27,000 children and families each year. The Foundling formed the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection in 1997, which has since grown to become a national leader in the field of child-welfare and works to improve the public’s knowledge and attitude toward child abuse and neglect.

ExpandEd Schools receives funding from the New York Life Foundation to support social-emotional learning in middle schools:

ExpandED Schools, a New York City nonprofit dedicated to closing the learning gap, has received a $1 million, three-year grant from the New York Life Foundation. The funding will help to strengthen social-emotional learning in middle school students attending high-poverty schools. Social-emotional skills include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and growth mindset, to name a few, and they are necessary for success throughout life be it in the classroom, the workplace or in a family setting. Furthermore, research shows that social-emotional skills are foundational to the development of academic skills.

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Safe Space is seeking a Program Coordinator who will be responsible for the overall management and day to day operations of the Far Rockaway Youth Center, the supervision of center staff and will ensure that quality service delivery is provided, assisting youth and families, access appropriate services and resources, as well as providing case management and counseling services.

Camp Venture, Inc. is a not-for-profit provider of family-like care and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A cornerstone of the Rockland County, NY community since 1969, today Camp Venture offers a range of programs and services to meet nearly any need or preference across the developmental disability spectrum. The Executive Director is responsible for all areas of agency operations and policy compliance and implementation. In partnership with the Board of Directors, this dynamic and innovative leader will develop and implement strategies to promote Camp Venture’s mission.

The Transitional and Supportive Housing Cluster is a $9.1M division which provides Transitional Housing and Supportive Housing to Homeless individuals and Families, victims of Domestic Violence and Formerly Homeless Individuals. Services include four shelters; two family shelters, a domestic violence shelter, a shelter for Single Women with Mental Health Issue as well as a NYNY Supportive Housing building for formerly homeless individuals with Mental Health issues. Services are provided by culturally competent staff and include case management, housing, employment, and children’s programs. This position is within the Third Street Women’s Residence which is a 79 bed shelter for homeless women with Mental Health issues.

* De Blasio’s top lieutenants ordered City Council members not to speak to the Post months ago, even issuing a thinly veiled threat to at least one lawmaker, if he failed to toe the line for the administration, the Post writes.

* The bureaucratic drive to bring quality education to underprivileged areas has become a farce, leaving charters as the only recent reform that’s actually produced good new public schools, the Post writes.

* Buffalo, using newly acquired authority, hopes to obtain hundreds of properties at the city’s coming tax foreclosure sale and then resell the homes and vacant lots to help stabilize distressed neighborhoods through homeownership, The Buffalo News writes.

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NYN SOCIAL BUZZ

Weddings - Elizabeth Michelis and Benjamin Litman: Elizabeth Ann Michelis was married Oct. 8 to Benjamin Stephan Litman, the New York Times writes. The bride is a dean of students in grades 6 to 9 at Avenues: The World School in Manhattan. She is also the vice executive director of Green Generations, a nonprofit organization that serves underprivileged children throughout New York.

* To have your event featured here send your top 1-2 photos, along with a one sentence caption and photo credit, to info@nynmedia.comwith the subject line “Recent Galas and Events.” To see more events, check our events/community calendar here.

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NONPROFITS IN THE NEWS

Program offers young girls a new life after prostitution: The Gateways program in Pleasantville, N.Y., has counseled more than 100 individuals since 2009, the Wall Street Journal reports. The residents receive six to 12 months of intensive therapy, both individually and in groups.

Move over, rats. New York is planning an underground park: An abandoned trolley terminal near the Williamsburg Bridge on the Lower East Side of Manhattan would be transformed into a green space built by a nonprofit group that has spent years experimenting with solar technology, according to the New York Times. The group proposes to illuminate the underground space with sunlight collected by high-tech panels above ground and reflected down through a series of pipes.

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NYN EVENTS

New York Nonprofit Media is proud to present our 2nd annual Nonprofit TechCon taking place Dec. 6 from 8 am to 5 pm at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan. We have all learned to accept technology at different rates. We explore the innovation and challenges of new tools, apps, and gadgets in our own personal ways. Whether you're an early tech adopter or more careful user, we all have a role to play in advancing our organizations in a rapidly changing world. This event will cover everything from entry-level learning about the current state of technology to more advanced discussions. Nonprofit TechCon is the place to go to stay informed of new technology tools and developments that are shaping the future of nonprofits.

On Wednesday, January 18, New York Nonprofit Media will host Nonprofit BoardCon which will bring together board members, executive directors and other senior leaders from nonprofits across New York to discuss methods and strategies to collaborate and work together. Click here to learn more.

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TODAY’S GOVERNMENT SKED

11:15 a.m. – Cuomo, de Blasio and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer march in Columbus Day parade, 5th Avenue and 44th Street, Manhattan.